2008 ART DAY

Our theme days basically involve taping a few signs to the door and inviting over "the cousins." Today was "art day" - an excuse for me to go to Michael's and purchase new craft supplies (I can barely resist new markers, crayons and paper this time of year). My girls and I have fun preparing for theme days - even one year old Jane gets into the mood, "Da cousins will yove deese," she exclaims, carefully handling the new packages of clay.

Today's events went well. We painted a mural in the back yard, read a children's book about Monet (which 7 year old Priscilla read with a foreign accent), and ate peanut butter cookies. We even interviewed a live artist. My sister, Bethany is a senior at Old Miss. She is an art major, interned this summer at a gallery, and spent a semester studying in Paris - pretty "art-sy" to me.

The interview took place via speaker cell phone. My phone leaves much to be desired. Add that issue to the confusion of six small children talking at once and miscommunication can occur. "Bobby," I told my husband later, "It sounded like Elijah asked Bethany if her teacher is a whore." "Surely not," he said dismissingly. It really sounded like it, though. When my sister asked the kids what kind of art they liked to do, Pricsilla said drawning, Isabelle said she preferred painting, Elijah said that anything using his imagination was fine, and Ben said he liked to drink lemonade. Hmmm.

Next, I think we want to do a music day, but Isabelle told me we must purchase a violin and a piano first - so it may be a while. That's ok, though, because it may take that long for the mural's 17 coats of paint to dry.